


Choker

by queercarmillasecretsanta



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: <3, Arguments, Conflict, Conflict Resolution, F/F, Moving In Together, Sweet Kisses, garlic necklaces
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 17:41:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2781854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queercarmillasecretsanta/pseuds/queercarmillasecretsanta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During petty arguments with your vampire girlfriend, it becomes rather convenient to have some sewing skills and some cloves of garlic lying around. </p>
<p>(Fluff oneshot for queercarmilla for the Carmilla Secret Santa!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Choker

It’s usually about something stupid, their fights, but this truly may be the dumbest origination of an argument yet. Carmilla is supposed to be home for dinner and Laura cooks, Laura’s cooking in the kitchen of the brand new apartment off campus that they just moved into for more space and privacy. The move has stressed them both out and Carmilla’s gone out to go stargaze but she promises to be back for late night supper. 

And she forgets. 

Laura’s been unpacking boxes all day and she’s crying over her plate of the truly good food that she’d made. Carmilla plate is sitting at her place at the small table, her piece of meat bloody and getting colder by the minute, sitting on a bed of slowly wilting greens and slowly stiffening mashed potatoes. She’s exhausted, and she wants nothing more than to have dinner with Carmilla and then curl up in bed with her. 

But Carmilla doesn’t show. 

Laura takes to her needle and thread with vicious animosity, stabbing through clove after clove of garlic until she’s crafted a choker and pricked her finger countless times by the time she’s tying it around her neck. 

Carmilla finally, finally comes back at almost two in the morning, greeting Laura like nothing’s wrong, though the smile on her face dies when she sees an angry, teary-eyed Laura sitting in one of the matching armchairs in the living room, her lip trembling. “Oh God,” she says, remembering immediately. “I was supposed to...oh, no, Laura, I’m so sorry.” And she goes to embrace Laura, but stops about six inches from her, a queasy expression taking over her face. “Oh God,” she says again. “Cupcake...” 

“Don’t!” Laura nigh-on shrieks, shooting up from the chair. “Don’t touch me. As if you could, I did this because I don’t want you to. You haven’t done _bupkes_ with the unpacking and I had to put together the whole kitchen today all by myself and then I make dinner in it and you just up and _forget_ and where even _were_ you, you could have been _dead_ , someone could have _staked you_ and I would have had _no idea._ ” Then she’s dissolving into tears, and Carmilla’s heart is breaking because she wants to reach out and hold her but she’s both physically unable to and knows that if she were to try Laura would push her away even further. 

“I’m sorry,” she says again, her voice low, like a puppy that’s been caught doing something naughty. It’s all she _can_ say. “I’ll sleep on the couch tonight.” 

Laura’s still crying, and she gets up and leaves the room, feeling miserable all through her shower, braiding her hair, climbing into bed. Carmilla comes in to get her sleeping clothes to change into, but Laura’s put the garlic choker back on so she can’t get near her, and Laura doesn’t speak to her, just looks down and starts counting the threads on the duvet’s seam, the duvet that they had picked out together and wrapped themselves up in just the night before to watch a terribly cheesy movie. 

Carm sleeps on the couch where they’d done it, and it’s not a bad couch at all, but it’s definitely not optimal for sleeping on considering their memory foam mattress in the other room, and she too feels miserable and like a failure, wondering how on earth she can put this right. 

Fortunately, a good night’s sleep puts everyone in a more rational state of mind, and when Laura wakes up the next morning, it’s with a little less stress and a lot more regret to her loss of control the night before. She slides out of bed, padding out of the bedroom and into the living room where her girlfriend is curled up under a throw blanket, sleeping fitfully, her eyes rolling a little under their lids. It’s early, but Laura touches her shoulder anyway to wake her up. 

Carmilla’s conscious immediately, and she looks at Laura, and she opens her mouth to say something but the first thing she does is gag. “Laura, either take that off or stand _back_ ,” she says, grimacing, and Laura jumps back five or six paces, her hand flying to her neck, where the garlic choker is still firmly tied. 

“Sorry,” she says, referring to the garlic, but then takes a deep breath. “Not just for this. For...well, you know what you did wasn’t good but I know you didn’t do it on purpose. And I was tired, and I lashed out at you, and it was too extreme a reaction. I’m sorry for that.” 

“And you know that I’m sorry for forgetting,” Carmilla says, pushing dark hair out of her face and looking up at Laura, a type of sincerity in her eyes that isn’t often there, what with her usual cynical remarks, her sarcasm. That makes the whole thing all the more genuine, that look being in her eyes. “And that I will try my utmost not to do it again. And that I’ll dedicate today to helping you unpack all the rest of these boxes. I can do it with vampire speed and be done in half an hour so long as you tell me where things are going.” She’s rambling. She knows she’s rambling, but she desperately wants the unconditional forgiveness of the girl she loves, and so she’s laying it on thick. With intent to follow through on every promise. 

Laura knows. Laura sees the look, and she knows Carmilla doesn’t make promises lightly, and she feels a deep fondness for her even disheveled and mussed after not a lot of sleep after being kicked out of bed. “Carm...” she trails off, biting her lip, tears coming to her eyes again. “I love you.” 

“I love you,” Carmilla breathes in return immediately, looking up at her. 

Laura starts to walk towards her again, but Carmilla holds up a hand. 

“Cut that infernal thing off your neck,” she says, holding her nose between two fingers with their black-painted nails. “And if you plan on kissing me you had better go take another shower, it’s still going to linger on your skin and I’d prefer not to retch my way through any makeup sex.” 

Laura laughs--she can’t help it. And she goes to the kitchen and uses the shears to snip the cloves of garlic off her neck, tossing them unceremoniously into the trash. And then she goes to their bathroom and washes her neck, scents it with the expensive perfume that Carmilla had gotten for her on their two-year anniversary, streaking a few drops between each ear to further remove any lingering trace of garlic. When she’s done, she emerges, finding Carmilla already in the bedroom, looking at her with those dark, beautiful eyes, reaching out for her. 

It feels like home in her arms, standing there swaying lightly on the spot in this home they’re building together. “I love you,” Carmilla whispers again, and then Laura repeats it, and it’s a volley back and forth until their lips are being used for something a little less vocal. The vampire kisses gently at the hollow of Laura’s throat. 

And God, are they thankful for each other. Now more than ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Keep a lookout for my 12 days of Christmas fanfic, which has 12 chapters and will run from the 21st of December to the 1st of January, one chapter posted each day on this account. The ultimate gift. 
> 
> And go follow my wonderful secret santa, queercarmilla, on tumblr!


End file.
